A FIRM started by an oil and gas industry medic has celebrated its first birthday by winning a major United Nations training deal.

County Durham based www.serpent-medical.com has won a contract to provide first aid training for United Nations personnel in South Sudan.

The deal, for three to five years, is the biggest to date for the Bishop Auckland firm started last November by Andrew Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull, 44, a former member of the Royal Army Medical Corp and the North-East Ambulance Service, started the business after working in the offshore oil and gas industry.

It provides medical personnel to firms, predominantly in the oil and gas, offshore, maritime and security industries, as well as offering training courses.

In the last year he has placed staff in countries including Norway, France, India and Equatorial Guinea.

The contract awarded by representatives of the United Nations in South Sudan will see the firm train medics for the country's oil industry.

Mr Turnbull said: "We were approached by a company acting on behalf of the United Nations to provide first aid at work training.

"This is something the United Nations are expanding on in South Sudan.

"It is the biggest contract we have won so far. In the first instance we will be out there for a week holding two one day courses and one three day course, training 36 people.

"But it will be hundreds of people we train because it is a three to five year contract."

Mr Turnbull started the firm after believing some medics in the offshore industry were not getting a fair deal.

He said: "I became concerned about the way some of the recruiters in the oil and gas Industry were operating. Medics were not being supported in their training, no information was provided about nature and length of contracts and it became clear to me that clients were receiving a very poor service as a consequence."

As well providing medics and trainers to the oil and gas industry the firm works in other sectors including providing medical cover for a company running expeditions through India and Tibet on 1950s Enfield motorcycles.

Mr Turnbull added: "It has been a successful first year, people have shown a lot of interest.

"A lot of it is word of mouth, if you have worked with people and done a good job then they will want to work for you and with you."